The Thinking Blog is more than just a frequently-updated source of amusing facts and interesting information. It is a stream of consciousness intended to be succinct and thought provoking. A cornucopia of eclectic topics aiming to examine a range of exciting ideas, inspirational technologies and cultural curiosities. There is something for everyone; from serious to humorous, for deep and light-hearted thinkers alike.

Never Miss a Think!

31 January 2008

Over one kilometer in length, 8 hectares in surface area and 2.5 million liters of water. Too big to picture? Let's put it this way; The size of this pool is equivalent to 6,000 standard-size 8-meter long swimming pools. This one took five years to build, cost nearly $2 billion and has an annual maintenance bill of $4 million. The monster pool uses a computer- controlled suction and filtration system to keep fresh seawater in permanent circulation. The star of the show is the man-made lagoon in San Alfonso del Mar resort located in seaside Algarrobo, Chile.

Knitta, Please! Started in 2005 by two women tagging the Houston metropolitan area, Knitta is a tag crew of anonymous rogue knitters who leave graffiti on public places. Unlike traditional taggers, Knitta uses non-damaging materials like yarn or cloth. They tag trees, lamp posts, railings, fire hydrants, monuments and other urban targets. Not limited to mundane objects, Knitta members have left their mark on national monuments such as the Great Wall of China and Notre Dame de Paris. Up to a dozen copycat groups have followed their lead worldwide.

Knitta members AKrylik and PolyCotN founded the group as a way to deal with frustration over unfinished projects such as half-knitted sweaters. It started with a doorknob cozy for the front door of PolyCotN's boutique. She loved it and, unexpectedly, so did those who passed by the store. That is when they thought, "Let's do more."

The name of the group and the nicknames of the members were inspired by a desire to "resemble graffiti, but with knitted items." The group mixed crafting terminology with a hip-hop style, then changed the spelling "to represent traditional street art monikers." Current members' names include Purl Nekklas, P-Knitty, The Knotorious N.I.T., MascuKnitity, and Granny SQ.

The crew marks holidays by theming their work, using, for example, pink yarn for their Valentine's Day pieces and sparkly yarn for New Years. When Knitta is not working with a theme, they work on projects, tagging specific targets or specific areas.

This video pretty much sums it all up (except for the last minute and a half, which is about an art car parade?) and you can find more of their work on Knitta flickr page.

27 January 2008

Let's say you are married and you regularly argue with your wife or husband. In actual fact, this event increases your life-span! Research conducted in the University of Michigan on 192 individuals, it was discovered that 26% of all couples who consistently argue, add years to their life-span. The Turkish Sabah Newspaper lists the most interesting health reports as the following:

While watching a Football match the likelihood of suffering a heart attack increases by 25%. The reason for this is because football enthusiasts concentrate as hard as those players who are playing on the field.

Research from the German Female Doctors Union has pinpointed that conducting half an hour of physical activity every day, is beneficial for conditions of Osteoporosis.

According to studies conducted on 9 thousand and 514 people in the U.S it was discovered that the consumption of red meat and acidic beverages together can increase the incidence of heart and diabetic diseases.

Leave your child to be dirty. Scientists have noted that babies who are always situated in a hygenic environment are more likely to develop cyclical cancer.

According to the Japanese Heath Institute, women who intake vitamin supplements during pregnancy can further reduce depression by 50%.

Studies conclude that egg and rice can improve the ability to learn faster. Fish, chicken, bananas and grain products can calm anxiety in people. Whereas red meat, beans and milk maintain the functioning of the brain.

25 January 2008

What we reported as just a theory 9 months ago might be true - at least for those who live in some parts of Europe. Siberian cold paralyzes daily life in Britain and many regions of Turkey. However, it's not daily life that the freezing weather affects - lakes and even waterfalls across the country froze - affecting many animals as well. What about Dubai?